Hugh Bailey: UConn will, probably, be fine

Updated 8:55 pm, Saturday, December 1, 2012

If the goal is still to put the University of Connecticut on par with the top public schools in America, then something has to change.

Because as much as people might wish it wasn't true, UConn's rise to prominence has been directly tied to its athletic success. The 1995 women's basketball team all by itself inspired huge additional spending from the state. The championships won by the men's team brought unparalleled national recognition.

UConn President Susan Herbst often says she wants UConn mentioned alongside the best schools in the country. Playing in a second-rate athletic conference, as is scheduled to happen, could prove a serious hindrance.

The women's team has a strong enough brand that its success is close to assured. The men's team, which is a bigger deal nationally, is another question altogether. But there are factors in the team's favor.

For all their wins over the years, one thing the Huskies have never had is a legitimate arch-rival. Syracuse is close, but only recently. Duke is too far away, and UMass hasn't been on the schedule in years. Pitt tried for a while, but come on. Kevin Ollie has been UConn's coach for a month and he has as many Final Four appearances as Pitt does in the past 50 years -- zero.

But that means the team has less to lose in conference reshuffling. It needs good teams on the schedule, not specific teams.

Losing out on an invitation to the ACC last week was a blow. But it's not a death sentence. And the conference jumping is not close to over. Nor is it driven by academics -- or basketball.

For the most part, this state doesn't care about college football. There are pockets of fans around -- Notre Dame supporters, or alumni of various national powerhouses. But in general, it just isn't a priority, because for years there was no local team to root for.

UConn made its jump to big-time college football about a decade ago, and by most standards is doing fine. They're not national contenders, and the current team is often close to unwatchable, but, considering the lack of tradition, UConn can hold its own.

But though there have been a few big moments, football interest remains scarce. The lack of support makes the school less attractive to other conferences. And it's football, and the amount of money people spend on it, driving everything.

There's been some talk that the supposed bad deeds surrounding the men's basketball team have something to do with UConn's failure to earn a Big East bailout. But though academic problems and an irascible coach (since retired) can make for some negative headlines, by the standards of the college sports landscape this is nothing. Compared to the ongoing academics scandal at the University of North Carolina, UConn looks like a paragon of virtue.

Just as importantly, this isn't over. There is more conference realignment to come, and at some point, you have to believe, UConn is going to get invited somewhere. It is still a flagship state university with a big athletics budget. It's the only draw in its area, with a long record of success in every sport but football. And even the football isn't as bad as it's made out to be.

Now the battle is for perception. UConn has been passed over because it's seen as a football weakling. It could be perceived as a loser because it's been passed over. And a perception as a has-been will be a blow to the school's overall reputation.

That's the bad news. On the bright side, one phone call from the Big 10 commissioner and all the angst goes away.